The approaching Church Congress, which takes place during the first
week of October, at Liverpool, ought to produce two or three discussions of the highest possible interest. One, which should certainly, if adequately discussed, go far towards illustrating our National Church's spiritual strength and weakness, will be on "Phases of Unbelief,and how to deal with them;" another of almost equal or greater importance, but perhaps more likely to fail from the too great breadth and vagueness of the subject, is to be on the I Church's work in our large towns. - A third, which will not fail from ilea cause at least, and is likely to be of high interest, as it has the names of several able and thoughtful men appended to it, is upon the best form of clerical education, in relation to the old Universities. The very practical and at this time specially interest- ing question of Church Patronage is to be discussed on one of the days of the Congress, and on the last day of the Congress there is to be a debate, in which Mr. Mackonochie, the celebrated incum- bent of St. Alban's, is to take part, on" The Weekly Offertory and Almsgiving." The inclusion of this able Rornanizer among the speakers of the Congress has led to a very silly outburst of temper from the Dean of Ripon (Dr. M'Neile), who has withdrawn from all part in the Congress rather than be mixed up with a gentleman whose Ritualizing practices have been condemned by the Privy Council, in spite of the fact that Mr. Mackonochie has obeyed the injunctions of the Court which condemned him. The Dean of Ripon will be no loss to the Congress. The vanity of popular preaching has long ago spoiled him for any better purpose than popular preaching. You might have words with him, as the Secretary to the Congress has just had, but not thoughts. He does not reason, he contends.
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